


Last Minute Gifts

by PepperSoniRoni



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Justice League vs. Teen Titans (2016), Teen Titans - All Media Types, Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2017)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Christmas Shopping, Crushes, Damian Wayne Acts Like a Kid, Damian Wayne Has a Crush, Damian Wayne Tries, Damian Wayne is Bad at Feelings, F/M, First Crush, Fluff and Humor, Good Sibling Stephanie Brown, Mentioned Batfamily (DCU), Mentioned Tim Drake, Shopping Malls, Sibling Bonding, no beta we die like robins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 08:53:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27967880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PepperSoniRoni/pseuds/PepperSoniRoni
Summary: Damian finds out a bit late that he's expected to give his teammates gifts, so what does he do? Get his sister Stephanie to help him! They go shopping, and make an afternoon out of it. Later on, Damian gives the gifts.Mostly Steph and Damian bonding, with a hint of Damirae and overall Team Feels.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson & Koriand'r & Garfield Logan & Raven & Jaime Reyes & Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson/Koriand'r (background), Raven/Damian Wayne, Stephanie Brown & Damian Wayne
Comments: 8
Kudos: 65





	Last Minute Gifts

**Author's Note:**

> For the Tumblr Batfam Secret Santa.
> 
> My first time writing Damirae, so I hope it's good? Not really my thing (Damijon all the way!) but it's what my giftee requested, so I wanted to do it justice.

Damian frowned around at the mess around him, the random glass orbs rolling on the floor, the string lights knotted together in piles, the felt wreaths thrown haphazardly across everyone’s path.

“What is the meaning of this?” Damian demanded, shaking his foot to lose the silver glitter that had been dusted over everything.

Dick popped his head out from the hallway, a wide grin on his face. “We’re decorating for Christmas, Dami! Doesn’t it look great?”

Damian scoffed, and replied. He pointedly didn’t answer Richard’s question, though. “Why on earth would you ‘decorate’?”

Richard frowned. “Dami…” he said slowly, “Do you know what Christmas is?”

“Tt, of course!” Damian scowled. “It is a Christian feast day celebrating the birth of their deity on December twenty-fifth, which has been misappropriated by the greater atheist community, and boiled down to a ridiculous excuse to share bribes.”

Richard paused, opening and closing his mouth for a moment. “You’re … _almost_ right,” He finally decided on, “Except, they’re gifts. Not bribes.”

Damian pursed his lips. “What does it matter? It is not as if our elite team has succumbed to such childish conduct.”

Suddenly, Garfield burst into the room, in cheetah form. He too, like the entirety of the lounge, was covered in glitter. Stephanie would be _so_ proud.

Jaime followed quickly, though he was not impersonating a disco ball. Instead, he wore a pair of reindeer antlers.

“Wooooaaaaah!” Garfield let out, changing back to his regular green form and laughing. He collapsed to the floor, and promptly was tangled in the lights.

“IT’S MUSIC TIME!” Jaime cried, laughing as he draped himself over the sofa, and pressed play on a remote. Suddenly, ‘Deck the Halls’ began to play over the base-wide sound system.

Damian spluttered, looking at his teammates. “What is the meaning of this?!”

Jaime sat up. “Christmas is in two days, hermano! Relax, will you? Get in the spirit?”

Garfield laughed and began making snow angels in the glitter. “Yeah! Even you should be at least a little less grumpy - I wouldn’t want your gift to go to waste!”

Damian stilled, looking at Garfield. Garfield who had gotten him a gift, apparently. And if Grayson were to be believed, he was also expected to get them something. And not just them - most likely his whole family as well, and Koriand’r and … Raven.

Crap.

Damain whirled out of the room with no explanation and went immediately for his phone. There was only one person he could call to fix this mess.

“Brown? Yes. I require your immediate assistance. It is an emergency. Code Red.”

*****

“Let me get this straight,” Stephanie Brown, Current Batgirl, Queen of Glitter, The Purple-People-Eater, said, “you called me here using the highest security code, because you don’t know what to get people for Christmas?”

Damian sniffed, willing the heat away from his cheeks. “This is a sensitive matter! No one informed me I was obliged to give my associates material symbols of my tolerance!”

Stephanie licked her lips, and looked like she was trying to keep from laughing. “Okay,” she huffed, “that just made this whole plane trip worth it.” 

She started walking into the mall, leaving Damian to trail behind her. “Material symbols of my tolerance.” she muttered, chuckling. “Come on, kiddo, let’s get you some gifts.”

Damian scoffed, but followed. He had to admit, he was grateful Stephanie was willing to help him - he was completely lost.

They went to some sports shop first, searching for something Jaime would like. Damian didn’t find anything, though he did find a Nightwing-themed water bottle that Grayson would like. It was large, and had a straw. Damian normally wouldn’t notice these things, but Richad had been complaining about wanting a new one for weeks.

At a clothing store, Stephanie insisted they look at the crop tops. This paid off, as Damian found a few that he knew Cassandra and Bette would like. Well, that Stephanie _said_ they would like. One was all black, while the other was a pale yellow. Damian didn’t inspect them too closely, he trusted Stephanie’s judgement - not that he’d tell her that. 

Also at the same store, Damian found a Superman t-shirt that looked like it’d fit the man of steel himself. Both bats looked at each other at the same time, and spoke in unison: “Bruce.”

Stephanie giggled, and Damian cracked a smile. If felt good, if he were being honest.

They were walking out of the same store when The Purple One froze. Damian looked around, searching for whatever invisible threat his sister had spotted, when he saw the wide eyed grin on the other bat’s face. He followed her eyes to a display by the side of the door, filled with rainbow merchandise. There was one specific shirt that caught her eye.

Front and center, was a manikin wearing a shirt saying: “If you don’t have a gay cousin, you _are_ the gay cousin.”

Steph wiped a false tear from her eye. “It’s beautiful.”

Damian sniffed. “It seems … acceptable.”

“Are you _kidding_ , Dami? That’s freaking brilliant! We have to get that for Kate - yes, _us_ , no way you’re hogging this for yourself.”

“Tt.” Damian huffed before picking out one of the shirts. Might as well.

After that, they had only a third of the gifts Damian had wanted to get, but Stephanie waved away his concerns and dragged him to a pretzel stand.

“You can’t just go to the mall and not get crappy mall food!” She exclaimed, before glancing apologetically at the cashier. “Uh … no offense.”

“None taken, miss.”

They walked away, and sat down at a bench, Damian refusing to take a bite. After a firm look from Stephanie, Damian huffed. “ _Fine_.”

They ate in a companionable silence for a while, before Stephannie decided to open her big mouth. 

“Soooooooo …” she began, a sly grin coming across her face, “Anyone you want to spend extra time getting a gift for? Maybe some … girl?”

Damian scowled. “Koriand’r will be emotionally crushed if I do not get her something, and Grayson will be disappointed in me.”

Stephanie sighed. “Not quite what I meant, kid. Maybe someone a bit closer to your age group, perhaps?”

Damian stood up suddenly, his scowl growing into a full on glatre. “What are you implying, Brown?”

Stephanie didn’t seem the least bit bothered, and Damian wondered if it had to do with why his face was feeling so hot.

“Aw, calm down Damian. Cass said you liked Rachel a bit, so I wanted to see for myself. I’m not making fun of you, kid. She’s cute. In a weird, silent, brooding, goth sort of way.”

Damian squinted. “Didn’t you say the exact same thing about my sister?”

Stephanie rolled her eyes exaggeratedly. “We’re talking about _you_ right now, okay?”

Damian crossed his arms. “I am not so sure, Brown. If this involves my sister, I do not care how close to the family you are, no matter how much I may or may not - emphasis on the ‘not’ as Grayson would say, of course - care about you, I will end you if you harm my sister.”

Stephanie grinned and held up a hand. “One, you care about me? Two, I have no intentions toward your sister. She’s my friend, all right? Three, she could kill me herself - possibly with a variety of weapons.”

Damian’s scrunched up face became impossibly more so. “Cain prefers hand to hand combat, so why on earth would she stoop so low as to utilize -” he paused when Steph started giggling. “You were making a reference, weren't you.”

Steph walked over and patted him on the shoulder. “One day soon, my child, I shall introduce you to the wonders of Cassandra Claire’s Shadowhunter books.”

“There are books about those who hunt my Grandfather!” Damian exclaimed. “The League of Shadows is supposed to be one of the world’s greatest secrets! And it’s being broadcasted to the whole world? How could Grandfather stand to let this happen!”

Stephanie giggled and grabbed her charge’s arm. “Come on, let’s go kid. There’s more shopping to be done.”

Damian sighed, but ceased his questioning. 

The next store they went to was a bookstore, with wide windows stacked with all sorts of reading materials. They browsed for a while before Damian found a complete collection of Shakespeare’s works that he assumed Jason might appreciate. This, of course, had nothing to do with the fact that the previous copy Jason had owned was now being used as bedding for Goliath.

Stephanie gave him a knowing grin before they walked out, and off to the next place. 

They ended up going to some self defense store, but none of the items were nearly up to standard that the bats usually kept. Damian was almost discouraged, when he spotted a blue messenger bag with the word “Taser Girl” emblazoned on the flap. The boy tilted his head for a moment, considering. His mind was decided, however, when he saw a variety of keychains shaped like tasers and stun guns.

“Oh, Harper will love it,” Steph grinned, holding out her hand to carry the bag. Damian scoffed, but hid a smile.

A craft shop was just a few doors down, so they stopped there next. Damian had to restrain himself from inspecting the charcoals - he was running low - and went instead to the notebooks. He found one that was made of plain black leather. It was lined, and had many more pages than the rest. But what really sold Damian was the quote on the inside cover, by Robert Frost. It was perfect.

Damian turned around, notebook in hand, to find Stephanie looking on at him with a soft smile. He scowled. “What do _you_ want?”

Steph didn’t answer, instead reaching forward to pluck the book from his hand. “For Duke?” she asked, after rifling through it. 

Damian considered rebuking her, asking why it was any of her business, but quickly decided against it. She _had_ been the one to take him. 

“Yes. It is for his poetry. His book seems to be running out of empty pages, and I refuse to let him use some poorly made plebeian brand such as … Composition.” He had a barely contained sneer on his face as he spoke the name of the notebook Duke was currently using.

Stephanie laughed. “Alright, I’m sure he’ll love it.”

They moved on, after that, but not out of the store. Damian wanted to look at those charcoals again. Plus, he needed more gifts. 

He found an advanced coloring book and picked out some expensive colored pencils for Koriand’r, so Damian felt somewhat more accomplished. 

He was walking down the bulk aisle of supplies, when he saw it. A five gallon bucket of pure purple glitter. He glanced back at Steph, who’s eyes were wide with joy. Without a word, he picked out two, and placed them in the cart.

They left soon after, and walked around the mall for a while. Stephanie pointed out a store that was elling camera supplies, and Damian - who remembered one quiet afternoon a few weeks ago when he and Tim were out birdwatching - picked out a new camera case to replace his brother’s dinged up, falling apart, one. And no, he absolutely did _not_ pay enough attention to remember that detail purely for his brother. He was an assassin - _former_ assassin - it behooved him to be vigilant. 

They went to the computer store next, and Damian was able - after much discussion with the manager. Really, these plebeians couldn’t understand that thirteen was a perfectly mature age, and he was capable of purchasing whatever merchandise they sold no matter the price - a nice laptop for Cullen.

“Doesn’t he already have one of those?” Stephanie asked, “I thought Dick got him one for his birthday?”

Damian sniffed. “Of course, however this one will be much better.” he paused, and Steph made a ‘go on’ motion with her hands. “Row seemed to have a strange fascination with the ‘War Computer’ so I intend to give him a mobile unit that works in much the same way. Gordon owes me a favor, so this is what I shall spend it on.”

Stephanie’s eyes were wide. “Babs owes you a favor?”

Damian nodded. “I bought her breakfast from her favorite café one morning, and she said ‘I owe you one’.”

Stephanie licked her lips. “Alrighty then,” she said. “You’re one special kid, did you know that?”

Damian sniffed - somewhat proudly, though he wouldn’t admit it - and walked away. “Of course, Brown. I am extraordinary.”

Stephanie laughed and followed him out. They walked around for a little longer, and Damian looked around for more gifts. He had gotten almost all the people on his list, but he still had to get something for Rachel, Jaime, Garfield, His stepmother, and his other aunts.

His aunts turned out to be the easiest. 

Somehow, there was a gardening shop in the mall, with some displays outside. One of said displays happened to be a manikin wearing an apron saying “kiss the gardener” on it. He quickly bought it, adding the new bag to the pile Steph was already carrying.

Right next door happened to be a party store, which Damian normally wouldn’t dare venture even a hair’s length in the direction of, but decided to today. There was one thing he specifically had in mind.

They had it.

Damian had to resist the urge to smile at the shelf in the back of the store, out of the usual customer’s eye, with large confetti launchers. Well, more like confetti _bazookas_.

Damian grinned wickedly, thinking of all the additions he could make in a short amount of time. Of course, he wasn’t nearly as proficient as Lucius Fox at gadgets, but Dr. Quinzel had certainly taught him the basics of explosives.

Stephanie laughed when Damian came back from the store and out to here, carrying the large item. “Oh boy, Harley and Pam are going to love you.”

Damian nodded. “That is the intent.”

The blonde laughed. “Well, let’s get going. My arms are getting tired, and I know you have a gift for a special someone you need to buy.”

Damian scrunched up his nose, but didn’t say anything.

Stephanie sighed heavily. “Alright, alright. But I claim Maid of Honor!”

Damian shrieked, but Steph was already out of earshot, moving quickly and determinedly across the mall. He sighed before running to catch up.

For all his assassin and vigilante training, Damian only paused at Steph’s side when she had reached her destination - a jewelry store, both like those of commercials, but a smaller, quante shop with a more bohemian aesthetic.

“This is the pop-up to one of my favorite etsy shops,” Stephanie explained as she led her little brother inside, “I’m sure you’ll find something Rachel will love in here.”

Damian pouted, not willing to admit this was the gift he was most worried about, but didn’t argue. If Steph liked this place, then surely it wasn’t the most _abominable_ establishment on the planet. He gave Stephanie the two buckets of glitter that he’d been holding, and began to wander around the place.

At first, nothing caught his eye. Sure, there were well made bracelets and rings, anklets and chokers, but nothing screamed ‘Rachel Roth’ to him. Nothing was _just right_.

He made the rounds many times, managing to see something new with each passing, but he was still unsuccessful.

Finally, he spotted it. It was front and center on a case to his left, so he really didn’t know how he missed it. But that didn’t matter, he had now.

On a black velvet necklace form was a piece of jewelry that had a silver chain, and prominent purple raven charm. 

Damian could hardly believe his luck, as he gazed at the beautiful necklace. Oh, Rachel would love it.

He quickly caught the attention of a store’s employee, and purchased the piece. It was one of the most expensive pieces in the shop, but he didn’t care. It was worth it, he knew in his heart.

Stephanie was eager to see what he’d picked when he emerged from the store front, so Damian pulled the small silk bag that housed the gift, and showed his sister what he got.

“Oh,” Stephanie said, “that’s beautiful! She’ll love it, I’m sure.”

Damian sniffed, but couldn’t help the small smile that grew on his face. “Thank you, Brown.”

Stephanie grinned, and the pair started walking again.“Good timing too, seeing as we’ve been here all day! I might even get home in time for dinner!”

Damian froze. “But,” he said, “I still have not bought Reyes or Logan their gifts.” he didn’t admit he had also enjoyed their time together.

Stephanie grinned. “Well, you know, you could always do what your dad does.”

Damian perked up. “Whatever Father does must be the best plan. Go on, Brown, what wisdom can my Father's actions impact on this situation?”

Stephanie just smirked.

*****

Damian fidgeted as he looked around at his teammates. It was a couple days later on Christmas morning, and everyone was gathered in the common room. The plan was to open gifts and eat breakfast, then Damian and Dick would head back to Gotham for Christmas dinner, and an exchanging of gifts between family members.

But that was later. For now, the presents were being passed around. 

Damian glanced down at his lap, where he held the gifts for the team. A pink bag with the coloring pages and pencils for Kory. The two identical boxes with Jaime’s and Garfield’s gifts. The small purple wrapped box with the raven necklace for Rachel. All presteenly packaged. 

He just hoped they liked them.

“Alright!” Dick announced, rubbing his hands together. “Let’s get this thing started, shall we?”

Oh, Grayson. He had gotten far too into the holiday spirit, wearing a horrendous pink and green sweater, with LED lights, and a large reindeer. Somehow, he’d also managed to convince Kory to wear a matching one. They were sprawled on the couch together

The other sweaters in the room were far from perfect, but not nearly as horrific. Jaime wore a purple and orange depiction of a steaming cup of hot cocoa, complete with a candy cane stir stick. He was sprawled on the floor along with Garfield.

Garfield had a red and green giraffe on his, with yellow twinkle lights surrounding it, and christmas lights tangled around its horns and neck. For a so called animal enthusiast, he sure seemed to be glorifying animal abuse.

Damian had been wrestled into a red and green sweater with a bat symbol. Not nearly as bad as the pink and blue one Richard had originally chosen, but not his preferred attire.

Rachel seemed to be the only member of the team with some semblance of taste, as she had picked out a black sweater with white snowflakes and other Christmas themed bobbles, along with a few skulls and crossbones. She was tucked under a purple fluffy blanket, by the tree and away from the chaos.

Damian was shaken from his critique of upper body attire when Garfield poked him.

“Tt, what?” Damian scowled.

“Dude, you’re first up! Newest member of the team, yada yada yada.”

Damian softened his scowl and gave his first two gifts to Jaime and Garfield. They both eagerly tore into them, sending wrapping paper flying.

“What?” Garfield asked in disbelief, holding up the contents of the box.

“Dios mio.” Jaime whispered, eyes wide.

“I was unfortunately out of time when it came to purchasing your gifts, so an associate of mine informed me that cash is the proper gift for such an occasion. I understand if you are disappointed by the amount, but the bank would not allow me to withdraw more than ten thousand dollars for each of you, for some _outlandish_ reason. Not to worry, I have already informed my brother that the East Bridge Savings Bank is a wonderful purchase and such a misfortune shall never-”

“YOU GAVE US TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS?!” Both boys yelled in unison.

Damian frowned. “Yes. Is that a problem?”

Garfield grinned and shook his head. “No way! This is awesome!”

“Has me rethinking what I got you, though.” Jaime said sheepishly.

“Nonsense,” Damian sniffed. “I am sure that whatever you have gifted me will be acceptable."

“High praise,” Kory said to Dick, her eyes twinkling. Dick’s eyes were wide with shock.

“He’s just like Bruce.” Dick said in disbelief, his voice breathy. “He got them ten thousand bucks.”

Kory sighed and patted Dick’s head.

Damain took this as his que to hand Koriand’r her gift, She smiled at him before opening it.

“Oh, this is lovely Damian. My thanks.”

Damian nodded, and turned away, but he was secretly rejoicing. She liked it!

Now onto the most difficult gift of all - at least to him.

Damian knelt by where Rachel had situated herself, and held out the purple box he had carefully.

She took it with a slight twitch of her lips and opened it up. She pulled the necklace out, her eyes wide, and set the box to her right. Damian looked away, not quite able to see her reaction.

The room was quiet for a moment before Rachel put the necklace on, and smiled. “It’s beautiful, thank you.”

Damian looked back at her, saw the earnestness in her face, and smiled back.

There was a soft atmosphere in the room for a long moment, Jaime started off on exchanging more gifts. Garfield turned up the music and began to dance around.

Damian looked at Rachel, then the rest of his team. “Hmm,” he thought, “I think I understand now.”

^^^ The art to go with this by @miakwat on Tumblr! Also the organizer of the event!

**Author's Note:**

> Am I touch salty that so many people seem to think that Christmas is only about family and giving gifts, and so I used Damian as a way to express that? You'll never know.
> 
> Steph is awesome. No, I do not take criticism. There's not enough bonding between these two!
> 
> Also, yes. I do believe that Damian will let his older CEO brother know what stuff to buy as a form of petty revenge. And I like to think that Tim will do so! It's like a form of bonding between the two of them. 
> 
> Yell at me on my Tumblr! @peppersonironi


End file.
